DERRICK ROSE HAS ARRIVED

Bulls fans, did you watch the game tonight and see what I just saw?!?! I saw Derrick Rose absolutely dominate and take over this basketball game vs the Mavs, and I am going absolutely nuts right now thinking about it!!! The crazy part is, as we all know, the best is definitely yet to come for DROSE and our Bullies! It's scary, for opponents that is, that tonight's game was just a glimpse into the future for what this kid really is capable of doing on a basketball court.

So far in this young pre-season, Rose has shown flashes of greatness here and there, but to be honest, he has also struggled at times with his J and with turning over the ball. This inconsistency is pretty much what a lot of us had already expected, since it takes PG's in the league some time to get used to the game at the NBA level. But tonight was a different story. Rose carved up the Mavs on the offensive side of the ball. He scored and dominated both in transition, and in the half court, pick and roll offense. He hit the Mavs with a plethora of crossovers and jukes throughout the game, and he honestly looked a step faster than anyone else on the Mavs squad, or even the Bulls squad for that matter. His speed especially stuck out in the fourth quarter, when he took over the game when his team needed him the most. Rose honestly scored at will and dictated the tempo of the game whenever he was on the floor. He also opened up the floor for his teammates and had some great assists tonight, which was also great to see. In the end, Rose finished the game with 30 pts, 7 assists, 1 board, and 3 turnovers.

I think the thing that stuck out to me the most, was that Rose demanded the ball at the end of the game, and the Bulls actually got it to him. In the recent years, we usually have either Hinrich, Noch, or BGeezy just throw up a random shot, and pray that goes in, but tonight was different. Everyone watching the game just knew Rose would take the shot and that he would hit it. Rose hit pretty much what ended up being the game winning shot for the Bulls on a drive/ floater from the baseline, over two Mavs. It was just sick...

I also saw something else in Rose tonight which was a little different than the norm for him. That is, that he was a lot more of a vocal leader throughout the game. This is something Coach Del Negro has wanted him, and asked him to be, so it was great to see him be exactly that on the court, during a close game. Tonight, he was especially the most vocal towards the end of the game, when the Bulls made their comeback. He took control of the game at the end, and never took his foot off of the pedal, and that was amazing to watch.

Anyways, going back to that final shot that he hit... That play was seriously like watching harmony in motion in my eyes. In my opinion, that play defined exactly what this Bulls team, organization, and fans have been looking for in a Bull since the Jordan years. A LEADER!!! No offense to anyone else on our squad, but the Bulls need someone who the team and their fans can depend on when the goings get tough. That lack of a leader clearly showed last season, when the season spiraled out of control amidst the contract and Kobe talks.

I know this kid is still extremely young and that he has a long, long way to go in his overall development, but I'm telling you this much after watching tonight's game and all the of the preseason action thus far... THIS KID IS FOR REAL!!! So it's time for us fans, and you haters(you know who you are), to sit back and to enjoy the ride. Because guess what HATERS, it's going to be a great one.

GO DROSE!!! GO BULLS!!!